Turkey protest: Armed riot police enter Taksim Square

Hundreds of Turkish riot police on Tuesday morning entered Istanbul’s Taksim Square, after forces reportedly used tear gas last night to disperse protesters on the 11th day of anti-government demonstrations.

Hundreds of Turkish riot police on Tuesday morning entered Istanbul’s Taksim Square, after forces reportedly used tear gas last night to disperse protesters on the 11th day of anti-government demonstrations.

In a live broadcast of the square on Al Arabiya TV, police surrounded protesters and amassed in nearby areas.

Backed by armored vehicles[2], police wearing white helmets and carrying shields massed in areas around the square, but there were no clashes between them and protesters in the nearby park, according to Reuters.

Turkish media outlets said the police were preparing to remove barricades which have been erected by the demonstrators in the area around Taksim Square.

The square has been the scene of violent clashes between police and protesters.

Turkish riot police fired tear gas in the center of Ankara on Monday night to disperse hundreds against Islamic-rooted government, AFP news agency reported. Meanwhile, riot police poured into the affluent Tunali Hilmi street which until now has largely been spared from the unrest.